ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Economic development officials from western New York said Tuesday that their new focus runs counter to the suburban sprawl of the past 50 years and emphasizes urban centers, especially Buffalo and its waterfront, to attract young people.

Real estate developer Howard Zemsky said the greater Buffalo area has sprawled over three times the land mass it covered in 1960 while population dropped, including a steady exodus of young adults. That has meant higher capital costs and redundant public services, he said.